The new year opens with considerable momentum for Polish documentaries, marking their presence at the upcoming edition of FIPADOC 2026 – one of the most important international festivals dedicated to documentary film. Held annually in Biarritz, the event traditionally spearheads the global calendar of documentary festivals. This year’s programme includes…
“Silver”, directed by Natalia Koniarz, has been selected for the Documentary Features Programme of the prestigious Slamdance Film Festival in Los Angeles, where it will receive its American premiere. This marks another significant step on the film’s international journey, which attracted considerable critical attention in Poland and abroad, earning numerous awards and commendations at last year’s Kraków Film Festival and the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival in the Czech Republic.
Despite nearly a decade having passed since its premiere, the animated film “Pussy”, directed by Renata Gąsiorowska, remains one of the most widely screened and most talked-about Polish animated films worldwide. This time, the production has been selected for the programme of the prestigious International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), which will take place from 29 January to 8 February 2026.
The animated film “Zima” directed by Tomasz Popakul and Kasumi Ozeki and produced by Yellow Tapir Films, has received a Special Mention at this year’s GLAS Animation Festival in Los Angeles. This distinction marks yet another international success for the acclaimed production, which continues to draw the attention of programmers and jurors worldwide.
Two Polish productions were distinguished at this year’s edition of the Emile Awards, one of the most important honours in the European animation industry. The short film “Zima”, directed by Tomek Popakul and Kasumi Ozeki, received the award for Best Sound Design and Music in Short Films, while “Joko”, directed by Izabela Plucińska, was announced the winner in the category Best Character Design and Backgrounds.
"Everything Needs to Live", directed by Tetiana Dorodnitsyna and Andrii Lytvynenko, has received a Special Mention in the Global DOC main competition at DocsMX in Mexico City.
The multi-award-winning documentary Silver, directed by Natalia Koniarz, has achieved further international success at the 29th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, winning three major prizes in the main Opus Bonum competition: Best Documentary Film 2025, Best Documentary Film in the Visegrad Region, and Best Cinematography.
The film Four Walls of Memory, directed by Joanna Płatek, has won the Best Student Short Film award at the 15th edition of ANIMAGE – International Animation Festival of Pernambuco. The event took place in Recife, Brazil, from October 7 to 12, 2025.
The multi-award-winning documentary “Silver”, directed by Natalia Koniarz, has been selected for the Opus Bonum Main Competition at the 29th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival – one of the most important documentary film events in Central and Eastern Europe. The screening in Jihlava will mark the film’s international premiere.
“Zima”, directed by Tomek Popakul and Kasumi Ozeki, received the award for Best Animated Film Direction at The Pigeon International Film Festival in Iceland. This prestigious recognition highlights the international appreciation for the filmmakers’ unique style and sensitivity.
The documentary film “The Passion According to Agnieszka”, directed by Wojciech Staroń, has been selected for the prestigious Luminous section of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) – one of the world’s leading and most influential events dedicated to documentary cinema. The 2025 edition of the festival will take place from November 13-23, where Staroń’s film will celebrate its international premiere.
At the 20th anniversary edition of Shorts México – International Short Film Festival of Mexico, the largest short film festival in Latin America, Joanna Płatek’s film “Four Walls of Memory” received an Honorable Mention in the International Animation Competition.
The film directed by Agnieszka Zwiefka has enchanted yet another jury. This time, Silent Trees received the Maysles Award for Best in International Observational Documentary at Docs Ireland.